A current data storage cartridge containing a data storage media commonly includes a magnet embedded in a slider. The slider can be manually set to one of two positions to indicate the write-protection status of the cartridge. One of the positions represents that data on the cartridge is write-protected, i.e., data cannot be erased from or written to the cartridge. The other position represents that data on the cartridge is not write-protected, meaning data can be both erased from and written to the cartridge. A docking station for the cartridge includes two magnetic sensors to detect the position of the slider when the cartridge is inserted into the docking station. One sensor is located proximate to each possible position setting of the slider. A control module of the docking station uses the slider position information as an input to execute the write-protection status of the inserted cartridge.